Over the years, many commentaries on the book of Acts have appeared, but I would characterize this volume as "a new look at an old book." The two writers come from different traditions and vocations: Robinson is a United Church of Christ pastor and teacher; Wall is Free Methodist and a professor of biblical studies. They make clear their agreement with Jim Wallis, who declared that the greatest need of the church today is not for "kerygma . . . diakonia . . . charisma . . . propheteia. (Rather) the greatest need for our time is koinonia, the call simply to be the church, to love one another, and to offer our lives for the sake of the world" (4). I would opine that this statement is an essential summation of the narrative of Acts.
The writers see Acts as a book for our time, without losing the historical perspective of this part of the New Testament. If it is true that the culture of our time has "drunk too deeply at the wells of reason and rationality," they perceive that Acts "offers intrigue, adventure, and the church as a place and people of mystery and magic." Like the rest of Scripture, Acts is "a postmodern book" (12). If such a citation would raise any eyebrows among the readers, let them read on in this volume, for it is both orthodox and contemporary (in the best sense of both words).
In introducing Acts to its readers, four basic queries are proposed: (1) What circumstances occasioned the writing of Acts? (2) How did the narrator compose the story? (3) What does Acts teach us about God? And (4) what role does Acts continue to perform within the New Testament? The reader will find what I believe to be substantial responses to each of these questions. Both the vertical dimension, i.e., what Acts teaches us about the relation of believers to God, and the horizontal dimension, i.e., what Acts teaches us about the importance and contributions of leaders and people, are helpfully enunciated.
With respect to this volume as a commentary, something should be said. First, it is not a chapter-by-chapter type of treatment of Acts—nor verse-by-verse. What the writers have done is to make a selection of what they consider to be pivotal, or representative, chapters from Acts to carry through their message. So what follows are insightful and carefully constructed and applied treatments of selected chapters (Acts 1, 2, 4–5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 17, 20, and 25). The reader familiar with the content of the book of Acts will notice that six units are applied to materials emphasizing the work of the Jerusalem apostles and deacons; five to the conversion and ministry of Saul/Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles; and one (chapter 15) that includes all of the above.
Further, each of these twelve treatments of the content of Acts is helpfully divided into two units: (1) interpreting each unit as Scripture, basically an historical and exegetical treatment; and (2) engaging each unit for today's church, a useful and practical interaction between the text and the world of the believer/church today. Not only does Professor Wall give solid insights into the text of Acts, furnishing the preacher/believer with solid food from the Scripture text, but Pastor Robinson calls upon his experience in the life of the church, and draws upon contemporary writers, to illustrate and apply the truths found in Acts to the benefit of both those in places of leadership and those souls who are trying to find their way in today's world.
So while this book is neither the first word on Acts nor the last, it is a refreshing and insightful approach to it for today's church. I recommend you read it—along with reading the Book of Acts!—and may it be a help to you as you carry on your journey in the life of faith. The authors have done a real service to the church of our Lord.
